Ford traced the problem to a glitch in the engine software that could lead to an engine fire in the event of pressure dropped in the cooling system. So dealers will update the software on the recalled vehicles.

Ford dealers have been giving owners of the recalled cars free loaner vehicles to drive while the problem was being traced and a fix developed.

But the new Escape and Fusion are high-profile launches for Ford. This marks the fourth time the Escape has been recalled since it launched last spring.